The United States military has taken some steps across the Middle East over the past few days that could indicate preparations for an operation against Iran, although they could also be acts of simple prudence or feints.
The BBC reported on Wednesday that America and the United Kingdom have withdrawn some personnel from the al-Udeid airbase in Qatar, the largest U.S. base in the Middle East.
Al-Udeid came under missile attack from Iran in June after the U.S. bombed Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities. Most of the Iranian missiles were intercepted, but one of them struck the base and caused moderate damage.
A much larger withdrawal of forces from al-Udeid was conducted before the bombing of Iran’s uranium facilities in June. A U.S. official told CBS News on Wednesday that a small and temporary reduction of personnel has been ordered as a “precautionary measure.”
Reuters reported that some aircraft were also moved out of al-Udeid on Wednesday after a heightened alert was triggered for unspecified reasons. The alert status of the base returned to normal on Thursday, and the officials said some of the personnel who were advised to leave the base on Wednesday have been told they can return.
An unnamed senior Iranian official told Reuters on Thursday that the regime in Tehran has “told regional countries, from Saudi Arabia and UAE to Turkey, that U.S. bases in those countries will be attacked” if the U.S. takes action against Iran.
The UK Guardian reported on Thursday that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and Oman have urged President Donald Trump not to strike Iran, in part because they fear Iranian retaliation could escalate into a wider regional conflict – but also because many states in the region have put down uprisings of their own, and they worry a successful Iranian revolution aided by the United States could trigger protests and rebellions on their soil.
The Pentagon confirmed on Thursday that the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier battle group is heading toward the Middle East from the South China Sea, and should arrive in the region in about a week.
The leftist newspaper the New York Times (NYT) said on Thursday that the Pentagon has “presented a wide range of options” to the president for action against Iran, including more airstrikes against its nuclear program, strikes against its brutal domestic security apparatus, or cyberattacks.
The NYT quoted officials who said, “Any attack is at least several days away, and could prompt a vigorous retaliation from Iran.”
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